This WeekIt's a bang-up good week at LII: pets and smarts, creeks and lures, Hip Hop and Victorian lit, Japan and Turin, taxes and surfing, creative dog houses, Chinese New Year, and the education of girls and women. A special welcome to all you new readers who found us through KQED radio or the Google Newsletter. Bon appetit from the LII team: Karen G. Schneider, Wendy Hyman, Jennifer English, Maria Brandt, Pat Fell, Charlotte Bagby, and Tom McGibney.

ASPCA Pet Nutrition
This series of articles answers common questions about what and how much to feed dogs and cats. Includes tips for puppies and kittens, adult dogs and cats, and older pets; a video clip on choosing the right pet food; a list of top nutrients needed by pets; and a discussion of overweight pets. From the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
URL: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/20443

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Asbestos
Collection of fact sheets and other resources about asbestos, a "naturally occurring mineral fiber, once widely used in building materials for its thermal insulating properties and fire resistance." Topics include health effects, asbestos in the home (identifying it and determining whether it needs to be removed), asbestos in schools, vermiculite (a mineral that includes asbestos and is found in products such as attic insulation), acronyms, and laws and regulations.
URL: http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/20413

Ready Reference & Quick Facts

Chinese New Year Festival & Parade
This official site for the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade, held in February, also features events outside the area such as street and flower market fairs and the Miss Chinatown USA Pageant. Includes a brief history of the parade, which "is the largest celebration of its kind in the world," facts about Chinese New Year traditions and associated horoscope characters, a parade map, details for participants, crafts for children, and more.
URL: http://www.chineseparade.com
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/20431

California Creeks
This site is a "whitewater river guide for California boating" with photos and information about recreational runs down California rivers. Includes a list with descriptions of recommended runs, links to flow data, and information about boating and photography equipment. From an enthusiast who enjoys "gravity-assisted water-based recreational activities" such as kayaking and rafting.
URL: http://www.cacreeks.com
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/20324

The Mavericks Surf Contest
Official site for this California surfing competition held "on just 24 hours' notice -- between January 1, and March 31 ... [when] 24 of the world's greatest big-wave surfers will descend upon the frigid waters of Half Moon Bay for the chance to ride 'the most dangerous waves in the world.'" Features include the Mavericks' history, the science behind the big waves, photos and videos, contestant biographies, and instructions for receiving event alerts.
URL: http://mavericks.bolt.com
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/20440

Regional: Washington State

Washington State Parks: Centennial 2013
Background information and planning and progress updates for the Washington State Parks centennial in 2013. Discusses the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission's "Centennial 2013 Vision," which calls for care of existing parks, expansions and new parks, and a "call to action to citizens to donate funds, materials and labor to complete one of 100 projects in parks around the state." Includes a plan brochure, progress reports, and issues of the centennial newsletter.
URL: http://www.parks.wa.gov/Centennial2013/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/20295

Regions of the World

TorinoTuristica
Official tourist website for Turin (Torino), Italy, capital of Piedmont. The site features links to "the city's website to discover art and culture, walking, sports, taste, markets and nightlife." Topics include local accommodations, the 2006 Winter Olympics, "The City's History as portrayed by its commemorative plaques," interesting facts about subjects such as gourmet specialties and Turin's magic schools, and more. Also available in Italian and French.
URL: http://www.comune.torino.it/canaleturismo/en/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/20430

Trends in Japan
This site introduces "the latest developments in Japanese business, entertainment, fashion, science, society, sports, and more through short, engaging dispatches." Diverse topics include free newspapers, sweets made to look like hamburgers and other fast food, bottled tap water, the return of platform shoes, and shiny mud balls. Includes articles back to the mid-1990s. "Part of Web Japan, which is sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)."
URL: http://web-japan.org/trends/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/20433

Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program
This government program designed to protect marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, and turtles "has the following components: stranding networks, responses/investigations of mortality events, biomonitoring, tissue/serum banking and analytical quality assurance." The site describes these programs, and provides reports and related publications. Also includes discussions of human impacts (such as minimizing ocean sound) and international cooperation efforts. From the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
URL: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/20425

Society & Social Science

Collaborative Summer Library Program
"The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) is a grassroots consortium of states working together to provide high-quality summer reading program materials for children at the lowest cost possible for their public libraries." The project website includes history of the organization, audio public service announcements, a list of participating states, descriptions of past and present themes, frequently asked questions, and more.
URL: http://www.cslpreads.org
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/20459

GoodWork Project
This project "researches how leading professionals carry out work that is of high quality and socially responsible." The site features articles and research papers on themes such as "good work" in business, education, journalism, law, medicine, theater, and sports. Also includes comparisons across professions. Most papers are available for free download. The project is supervised by psychologists Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, William Damon, and Howard Gardner.
URL: http://www.goodworkproject.org
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/20451

Human Intelligence
"This site includes biographical profiles of people who have influenced the development of intelligence theory and testing, in-depth articles exploring current controversies related to human intelligence, and resources for teachers." Features a time period index and articles on topics such as the role of standardized intelligence measures, birth order and intelligence, and the theory of multiple intelligences. From Indiana University.
URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~intell/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/20452